Dec 2016

December was definitely a brutifal month. We celebrated Christmas and Jack was in his zone. That boy is Mr. Christmas. We had a lot of stress with Francine. She was getting in some teeth, refusing food at times, and not sleeping well...also known as the perfect toddler storm! Even with that, we managed to have some pretty great moments in December. Christopher did another amazing Christmas Concert this year. We did our annual visit to see Santa. We went to the movies as a family for the first time to see A Muppet Christmas Carol at the Franklin Theater. We were able to be in our home with our kids and my in-laws for Christmas. It was so nice. Really...being at home in your own house with your kids...its great! We took a quick trip to Memphis to see some things we had never been to before. And as always, its nice to reflect on 2016 and all that happened but also December brings an anticipation an an excitement for a fresh, clean year. So 2017 we are coming for you. We want to bring more magic and fun for our kids in 2017. We want to have more experiences and less stuff in our lives. And at the end of the day we want to give and receive more grace, love, and joy!

This is US!

A quote I heard this month from a book I was reading is "surprises of grace come to us when we make room for the unexpected/unplanned". My takeaway from that quote that I want to ask myself "Is there any room in my life for the unexpected? If not, we miss the grace."

**Funny/Sweet Story's of the month (I remembered to write down)**

Christopher: Jack, I think you have a play date this morning!

JACK: Oh! With Kathryn?!

Christopher: No… Not Kathryn…  Who’s Kathryn?  Kathryn Palma?

JACK: Yes, that’s it!

Christopher: Oh yeah.  She’s coming on Wednesday.

JACK: [totally perturbed]  Dad! Mommy said Kathryn is coming on THURSDAY!

Christopher: Oh yeah!  It’s Thursday!

#Jackamadeus - BIG BROTHER update!

 

• Favorite color - Red
• Favorite food - He is really are like chocolate chips in our oatmeal right now!
• Favorite hobby - He got a construction site from a lady at church and we are really into having "damage" done in the playroom and the construction site has to clean it up. :)
• Favorite song - Hark the Herald Angels Sing
• Funny quote - Jack asked Christopher what was on his face. Christopher said that he burned himself. Jack's response - what did you do run over it or something? 
• His quirks - Right now he needs to know the day of the week and the month and the day. He has quite the fascination with it all right now. We also did the countdown till Christmas every day. So he had that in the front of his mind for sure. 

#Francineclaire - LITTLE SIS update! 

• Highlight - 21 months old! Teething and full on hitting two! She had her first fever this month. It was definitely the start of the worst teething issues I have ever experienced
• Her words - She is definitely gaining quite the vocabulary. I think with Jack he was just starting to talk around this time and with Francine having an older sibling her words may be more advanced. 
• Sleep - One nap for sure. Sleep has been our nemesis this month. We have gotten into some bad habits with sleeping on the couch for naps or sleeping on me.
• Food - We definitely progressed at the end of the month but the first of the month I think she refused all food for almost a week. 
• Crying - I know we have two different kids and that there personalities will never be the same...but Francine has definitely become our more stubborn child. She cries a lot and if she has not suggested it...she doesn't want to do it and lets you know it!
• Clothes - She is in 18-24 months clothes still and she wears size 5 shoes
• Diapers - Size 5!
• Skills - I'm crossing my fingers and hoping this becomes a new normal, but both her and Jack have been able to play independently in the playroom for the first time this month. Usually they want one of us in there with them but we have definitely gone like 20-30 minutes where they entertained themselves! Hallelujah!

Until next time....here are some photos from life lately! 

See you later 2016!